Zakia Alexander

Zakia Alexander 30+ years of work experience Washington, DC 20020-- Customized Employment is my newest expertise; person centered careers, within 30 or more years of dedication. Willing to relocate to: Washington, DC - Maryland - Virginia Authorized to work in the US for any employer Work Experience Customized Employment Consultant SEEC - Silver Spring, MD April 2022 to Present • Customizing and guiding a caseload of 5-7 persons with disabilities to transition into employment based on interests, contributions, and conditions. • Creating task and gap analysis in hopes to improve skills in the people I support at their workplace. • Using assessments to help build independence and motivation to eventually "fade out" individuals from on-going job supports. • Keep the lines of communication open between myself, the persons I support, their families, communities, and workplace staff/support staff/administration and more. • Implementing previous training, general guidance, and past experience to assist with resources and solutions when issues arise. Courier Driver Uber Eats/Postmates - Washington, DC December 2020 to Present Delivering food and other goods to customers using an online app. Double-checking orders, wearing PPE always, etc. Census Field Supervisor U.S. Census Bureau - Washington, DC July 2020 to November 2020 • Supervising over 40 enumerators during the 2020 Census by: holding weekly phone conferences, recruiting for supervisors and enumerators during the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic, encouraged and motivated full time work schedules with the use of bonus awards, held field observations, delivered PPE, held in office training classes up to 3 times daily, approved payroll/leave, scheduled field observations, solved IT issues, and/or referred enumerators to proper staff to handle any other issues. • Participating in the "Homeless night" initiative survey and handling over 50 surveys singlehandedly and being knowledgeable of the entire city of Washington D.C. (and surrounding areas) for 40+ years. • Evaluated, monitored, reviewed, and assessed 40+ enumerators utilizing data, observations to assign/ schedule accordingly. Top enumerators were assigned to more challenging addresses/locations. Lower performing enumerators were given part-time schedules, less assignments, 2 were recommended for termination. • To support my enumerators: I trained, retrained, modeled interviewing, shadowed home visits, modeled how to re-interview, observed re-interviews, assessed, created and shared notes and data on each enumerator's performance. • Serving as a liaison between office, field, and several "multi-family" locations by scheduling 1st time and/or re-interviewing appointments (and sometimes attending the appointments) for enumerating to be done in large apartment buildings, college dorms, group homes, nursing homes, etc., and sometimes requesting other enumerators from other areas and supervisors for assistance. • Trained hundreds of enumerators of various ages, backgrounds, from other demographics, etc. with strategies for field enumerating, field observations, re-interviewing, technology tips (i.e. switching from paper census taking to iPhone devices), "getting at least a head count", and inputting confidential information accurately (this placed my team at 2nd best enumerators in the city; 2nd to complete our area/zone as well). • Offered coaching on "how to" survey/approach certain communities (gated, dangerous, or restricting), that may be reluctant to be interviewed by modeling how to: order and give meaning to use of parameters and response patterns in order to accurately survey certain areas. • Managing the supervisor hotline/call center taking calls 12 hours a day (9-9) to handle real-time field situations, concerns, equipment malfunctions or respondent-enumerator questions by taking the initiative to explain, clarify, and share ideas with non-routine information to promote quality in surveying. Also, using previous training, past experiences, guidance, resources, and any appropriate solutions. • Closed out the DC 2020 Census operation with a small team of other supervisors by holding an inventory "search and return" campaign to retrieve over 200 Federally owned devices by going out into the field to retrieve from former employees who were: hard to reach by phone or email, hard to find in or outside the city, reluctant to return equipment due to payroll issues, etc. • Worked remotely and in office in 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week, for a total of 4 months. Job Coach MBNA - Washington, DC January 2020 to March 2020 • Overseeing the duties and responsibilities of 2 clients with special needs who were employed at Safeway in the Petworth neighborhood, in Northwest, Washington DC. • Act as an advocate for client and manager or other staff issues or discrepancies. • Assisted clients with duties by coaching, sharing the duties, and/or modeling best practices of getting the job done. • Discussed with clients and created goals daily utilizing and implementing plans, practices, and assessments with a daily work report. • Scheduled myself around clients schedules and assisted clients with being on time, taking timely breaks, and managing duties in a timely manner as well. • Collaborated with managers, co-workers, and other staff in support of the people I support and their special needs. Customer Returns Processor Amazon Fulfillment Associates - Las Vegas, NV September 2019 to September 2019 Processing customer returns with quality care and in a timely manner. Lyft Driver Lyft - Los Angeles, CA July 2017 to August 2019 Providing rides in a safe and timely manner as a side business to make money and network. Administrative Assistant/Office Manager LETC/Goodwill SoCal - Los Angeles, CA May 2018 to May 2019 • Direct liaison to SYEP Youth Job Placement Program. • Communicate, designate, instruct and motivate youth ages 14 to 24 in job search, etiquette,application, and tenure skills. • Closely modify and organize data in files of over100 current and past individuals. • Data entry, filing, check runs, answering inquiries, coding and batching, billing, AR/AP inquiries, assisting in approval process for reimbursements,school grants, and more. Early Childhood Educator/ Substitute Teacher D.C.P.S - Washington, DC August 2000 to June 2017 • Served 15 years as an Early Childhood Educator; 2 years as a substitute for High School English and History classes at a DC Public Charter School (WMST). • Planning, implementing, and assessing individualized plans for each student • Encouraged parent involvement to include home visits, assemblies, and parent-teacher conferences. • Being an advisor and assisting junior and senior level students with resources for college, trade school and job/life skills to bridge the gap of childhood and adulthood. Usher Ticket Taker The National Theater - Washington, DC 1996 to December 2011 • Seating patrons, passing out playbills, and being a resource for elevators, exits, bathrooms, and concession stands. • Tearing tickets at entrance and counting tickets accurately and efficiently to get a count for the sales office nightly. Assistant Restaurant Manager The Washington Plaza Hotel - Washington, DC May 2000 to August 2000 Scheduling, cashier responsibilities, overseeing servers, bussers, bartenders, and room service servers and working with the hotel and back of the house staff to provide customers with quality service in a timely manner. Education Bachelor's in Hotel and Restaurant Institutional Management Virginia State University - Petersburg, VA August 1995 to May 2000 Skills • Filing • Administrative assistant • Customer service • Case management • Problem solving • Excel • Microsoft office • Documentation • Mental health • Data Entry • Curriculum Development • Academic Advising • Field Service • Restaurant Management • Driving • Supervising experience • Human Resources • Special Needs • Research • Courier • Teaching • Tutoring • Conflict management • Sales • Google Docs • Typing • Windows • Microsoft Excel • Microsoft Word • Clerical experience • Microsoft Outlook • Workforce Development • Management • Developmental Disabilities Experience • Office Management • Writing Skills • Employee Orientation • Presentation Skills • Mentoring Languages • Spanish - Intermediate Awards Direct Support Professional of the Year October 2023 14th Annual Employment Awards DSP of the Year Award recipient - Zakia Alexander Certifications and Licenses Driver's License CPR/First Aid April 2022 to April 2024 Adult First Aid/CPR/AED MANDT April 2023 to April 2024 Maryland Department of Health certified. Including: Relational, Technical Separating, Technical Assisting and Supporting, and Technical Restraining. ACRE Certification October 2022 to October 2024 Completion of 40 hours of Acre-endorsed training curriculum in Employment Services for People with Disabilities CESP May 2023 to May 2026 Certified Employment Specialist Professional certification skills include: Application of Core Values and Principles to Practice; Individualized Employment and Career Planning; Community Research and Job Development; and Workplace and Related Supports. Assessments General manager (hospitality) — Proficient January 2021 Solving group scheduling problems and reading and interpreting P&L statements Full results: Proficient Indeed Assessments provides skills tests that are not indicative of a license or certification, or continued development in any professional field. Additional Information Personal Salary Information: My current salary requirement would range from 50,000 to 60,000 ($25-28/hr) a year based on: 30+ years of job experience, in-field expertise, college credentials, and benefits. This salary is negotiable depending on benefits offered, responsibilities and advancement opportunities. Thank you for your consideration in advance. Skills and Qualifications: • Providing quality service to customers in a timely manner; offering an unwavering commitment to customer service, relationship building, resolving complex issues and winning customer loyalty. S● Communicating and coordinating intra and interpersonally to assist with strategies for consistent quality improvement. • Excellent at goal-setting, planning and decision-making skills. Loyal and trustworthy. Self-motivated yet a team worker; coachable. • Works well with people of all ages, coworkers, and community to obtain successful assistance in a timely manner. • Administrative Assistant (5 years), Filing (5 years), Excel (5 years), Case Management (10+ years), Counseling (10+ years), Documentation (10+ years), Management (10+ years), Mental Health (10+ years), Microsoft Office (10+ years), problem solving (10+ years)